


We're hyphenating

by SourwolfZiam



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: An amazing proposal, Bucky is very nervous ok, Established Relationship, Fluff, I enjoyed writing this, I love Pepper very much, Kissing, Lots of nerves, Lowkey nostalgia, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mentions of PTSD, Natasha Is a Good Bro, Not Canon Compliant, Nothing Hurts, Pepper is a saint, Sorry Not Sorry, The Avengers BiMonthly Dinner, Tony is ok, sam is a good bro, that should be canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 15:31:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14083992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SourwolfZiam/pseuds/SourwolfZiam
Summary: “So, is it gonna be Mr. and Mr. Barnes?” Sam suddenly asked just as they drove onto Tony’s property in the Upper East Side of New York.“Shut up” Bucky muttered, and Sam smirked.Or, the one where Bucky proposes to Steve with a little help from Elvis Presley, and it was all thanks to Tony (it wasn't).





	We're hyphenating

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I got a few things to sayyyy:
> 
> a) This has been on my mind for mooooonths, but the full idea didn't blossom until I wrote a tiny little Destiel proposal ficlet on FB.  
> b) I know "Can't help falling in love" wasn't released until the 1960's, but just bare with me.  
> c) I love eating with friends, hence the Avengers having dinners.
> 
> ENJOY!!!

Sam was busy driving with Bucky next to him. They’ve been silent since Sam picked up Bucky from the apartment he shared with Steve, and that’s how they liked it; they enjoyed their quiet time with one another.

 

Also, Bucky was nervous as fuck, and filling up the silence was the last thing on his mind.

 

“So, is it gonna be Mr. and Mr. Barnes?” Sam suddenly asked just as they drove onto Tony’s property in the Upper East Side of New York.

“Shut up” Bucky muttered, and Sam smirked. He knew exactly how stressed Bucky was, and has been giving light little jabs for weeks now, ever since Bucky organized a top secret meeting with him, Natalia and Tony. He’d needed Tony’s help to ensure that his plan ran smoothly, and he needed Sam and Nat to make sure Tony kept his mouth shut.

 

Planning this proposal has taken way more effort than it should have. Bucky thought that all he needed was a ring and a venue, hence him asking Tony to help him find a gap in tonight’s plans to propose.

Instead, Sam, Tony and Nat had decided that the proposal needed to be much more romantic and personal.

Three weeks later, and tonight was the night.

 

Oh fuck.

 

Luckily Steve hadn’t been home the previous night, because while Bucky had been in the shower it suddenly hit him that he was going to propose to the love of his life. The man who’s been _his_ since they were hard headed teens in the 1930’s.

Bucky called Sam in a panic, and after Sam reminded him for the millionth time that Steve loved him more than life itself, and was going to say yes before he even finished getting onto his knee, did Bucky start breathing properly again.

 

Sam is alright. Sometimes.

The ring was in a black, velvet box, safely tucked away, and everything was already set up at Tony’s place.

Sam parked the car, and the two of them got out. Bucky automatically scoped out the place for any immediate threats, and when he was satisfied there were none (at the moment) he nervously straightened his dark navy dinner jacket, which he was wear over a white dress shirt.

Sam was equally as dressed up, in a black button-up shirt, a tie and a black waistcoat.

 

It was the bimonthly Avengers dinner, and it was Tony’s turn to host. This meant that Pepper was organizing everything, which was why Sam and Bucky were looking so spiffy. With Pepper in charge, it meant that there would be five to six courses, classical music playing, and good wine.

The dinner used to be at the Avengers Tower, but since the Tower has moved to uptown New York, and was more of a training facility, the dinners were split up to everyone’s respective homes. Steve and Bucky, Sam, Clint, Bruce and Natasha, Thor, and Tony and Pepper played host once every two weeks at their respective homes.

Attendance is mandatory, and the dress code was fluid, depending on who’s house they were eating at.

Even Thor used to portal them all to Asgard when it was his turn, and hosted them in the palace.

 

Sam and Bucky walked straight into Tony’s penthouse as the door swung open without them having to knock. It was huge and obnoxious, much like Tony’s personality; it was also all glass and steel, but Pepper’s personal taste and interior decorating style made it bearable for Bucky.

Speaking of, Pepper was walking towards them as the two of them entered the large lounge area. She looked pretty in a black a-line dress, her hair hanging loose.

“Hey, you’re the first to arrive” Pepper said, her voice warm as always, as Bucky and Sam both greeted her, each giving her a brief hug and a kiss on the cheek. Physical contact is still a sensitive topic for Bucky, but with someone like Pepper, who made him comfortable enough, he could bear it.

 

“Yeah. Steve sent me a message about 10 minutes ago. The mission briefing should be over soon” Sam replied, as the three of them walked towards the bar set up in the corner. Pepper poured herself a glass of red wine, while Sam and Bucky both took a beer.

Steve, Tony, Thor, Nat and Wanda were on a mission together.

Bucky, Sam and Bruce had stayed behind to hold the fort. Bruce was currently working on a project that was taking up much of his time, and Colonel Rhodes was in Washington D.C, dealing with some military business.

 

The three of them filled their time talking and catching up. Bucky’s nerves were slightly settled in the presence of Pepper, who always exuded a cool calmness that seemed to spread everywhere she goes, and by the time he finished his first beer, he was even cracking a small smile.

 

Ten minutes after Sam and Bucky arrived, they heard the sound of two of three cars pulling up, before the sound of Tony’s “Honey, I’m home!” was quickly followed by his body.

Bucky immediately looked for Steve, and breathed a sigh of relief when his boyfriend walked in. Even though he’d spoken to him on the phone less than half hour ago, Bucky always needed to see and touch Steve to know he was safe.

Steve caught his eyes, and he gave that earnest smile of his that still stirred at Bucky’s heart strings.

“Hey, Buck” Steve greeted him softly, and they shared a quick kiss. Bucky quickly ran his hands over Steve, doing a quick check for injuries. Steve stood still while he did it: he knew there was no point in stopping Bucky.

Bucky found no external injuries, and made a mental reminder to have Bruce check him tomorrow.

Steve had no self-preservation, so him ignoring an internal injury was very much possible.

Bucky felt much better with Steve this close to him.

Steve went to get himself a beer, and when he returned, he tucked himself into Bucky’s side again.

 

“Hey, Barnes.  How’s it going?” Nat greeted, a small smile on her lips. Bucky was very fond of the Russian, so he smiled back.

“I’m good, Natalia. How was the mission?” and the two of them spoke, as the rest of the Avengers got themselves a drink (or in Thor’s case, a tankard of German beer).

 

Bruce arrived a few minutes before everyone had to sit down, looking a little haphazard, but happy.

Everyone went to go sit down, and Bucky didn’t miss the way Nat and Bruce intertwined their fingers together as they sat down. Though they’ve been together for a few years now, it was still rare of Nat to show public affection. The little gesture was sweet.

 

Bucky sat on the side of the table that was facing the wide, glass wall, that gave a gorgeous view of the outside garden. Steve sat on his right, and Natasha was on his left, with Sam across from him. Once everyone was seated, Bucky felt his nerves stir again, but he ignored it.

“Welcome, everyone” Tony said after clinking a small fork against his wine glass for silence. “I’m glad we’re all still alive and kicking, and let’s just enjoy ourselves tonight. Be merry, and drink a lot so that I can take a lot of embarrassing pictures of you all” and with that (Pepper rolled her eyes with fond exasperation), Tony sat down.

The first two courses served were a Greek/Italian style salad with a delicious dressing, and later, sushi (apparently made by the best sushi maker in the world, Tony informed them loftily). While Bucky was eating a tempura roll, Steve accidently knocked his elbow into his side, on the exact spot where the ring box was hidden in the jacket’s inner pocket.

Bucky briefly panicked, but luckily Steve didn’t notice it, only giving Bucky a kiss on the jaw for the bump.

Tony pretended to gag at the gesture, and Pepper gave him a reprimanding look.

“Will you calm down? I can feel you vibrating out of your skin” Nat murmured out of the corner of her mouth before taking a bite of her sashimi, and Bucky glared at her, but she just ignored him.

Bucky glanced over at Sam, and found him already looking at him.

 _Chill out, idiot_ Sam mouthed at him, and childlessly, Bucky stuck his tongue out at him.

 

They were right though. Bucky could hear his heart thumping.

The last time he’d been this nervous was when he was 17, when he and Steve had sex for the first time.

 

Bucky slowly took a calm breathe before he reached for his glass of white wine. After taking an encouraging gulp, Bucky briefly focused on the conversations going around the table.

Pepper and Bruce were bonding over some place in Spain they’ve been to on holiday, leaving Tony to sulk, since his girlfriend and science husband were both not talking to him. Steve and Thor were discussing something about Asgardian versus human-made weapons, which seemed uninteresting. And Nat and Sam were busy being cool, talking about some Serbian artist who painted using animal blood.

Whatever.

Bucky ignored them all again, and instead, turned his attention to Steve.

His favorite guy was looking handsome, as usual. He was all dressed up in a starch white shirt and a pair of those fancy dress pants that Nat bought for him; he’d even slicked his hair back. Bucky couldn’t wait to undress him later on, and mess up the squeaky clean, all-American look Steve had going on.

 

The main course came, which was an option between veal, chicken and fish.

Bucky had chosen the veal, and enjoyed his veal scaloppini with saffron cream sauce, with a glass of Pinot Noir. It took a lot of alcohol to affect Bucky, and since he never enjoyed the feeling of being drunk, Bucky was just enjoying the taste of really good wine.

 

Steve ate his fish (It was still a knee-jerk reaction for Bucky to ensure that Steve was eating all his food, before Bucky even touched his), and this time, had all his attention on Bucky.

  
You having a good time? You’ve been quiet” Steve murmured over the sound of conversation going on.

Bucky gave a genuine smile, and nodded. “Yeah, I’m doing good. Just enjoying some good food. You?”

“I’m okay, Buck. I just need 10 hours of sleep, and I’ll be good as new” Steve joked, and gave Bucky one of his gorgeous grins. Bucky couldn’t help but lean in and kiss those smiling lips.

 

Once the main course was over, Nat nudged Bucky once.

 

Bucky stood up.

“I need the bathroom. I’ll be back in a second” he said to Steve, who nodded, and returned back to his conversation with Bruce.

Bucky caught Tony’s eye, who gave him a conspiratorial wink.

With a final glance at Sam, Bucky left the table, walking in the direction of the guest restrooms.

 

He stopped at the door just around the corner of the dining room, instead, and opened it.

Tucked into the corner was an acoustic guitar.  It was the exact replica of a guitar Steve gave Bucky on his 18th birthday. Steve had worked as a milk delivery boy for six months just to buy it. The guitar had been the most precious thing Bucky had owned, and when he got enough of his brain back to ask about it, Steve got him this new one the very next day.

 

Picking up the guitar, Bucky kisses the neck of it, and gave a quick prayer.

After a quiet “Amen”, Bucky left the room, closing the door behind him.

 

Bucky pulled the guitar’s strap over his shoulder, and walked back towards the dining area.

 

As he re-entered the room, he made brief eye contact with Tony, before turning his full attention on Steve again. The symbol of liberty and justice had his back to Bucky, so he didn’t notice him at first.

 

Tony stealthily gets the room’s lights dimmed, and he releases the tiny little fairylight tech bugs he created specifically for this occasion. The bugs flew out of a panel in the roof, and hovered over the table, casting pretty lights across the room, which reflected nicely against the glass walls.

 

Everyone had quitened down at that point, their focus on a terrified Bucky.

But Bucky only had eyes for a confused looking Steven Grant Rogers.

 

Bucky took a deep breathe, and started playing the guitar, a familiar tune rising from his strumming. It didn’t take long for Steve’s face to morph from confused into something of a mix between nostalgia and surprise.

 

Bucky knew he’d chosen the right song.

It was _their_ song, after all.

 

 _“Wise men say, only fools rush in. But I cant help, falling in love with you”_ Bucky sings as he starts walking towards Steve, his voice rough and smooth at the same time.

He never breaks eye contact.

 

 _“Shall I stay? Would it be a sin? If I cant help, falling in love with you. Like a river flows, surely to the sea. Darling so it goes, some things were meant to be”_ Bucky stops at Steve’s chair, and watches at his eyes fill with tears. Bucky swallowed hard, and kneels in front of him. Someone gasps, but Bucky continues ignoring everyone else.

 

“ _Take my hand, take my whole life too. Cause I cant help falling in love with you.”_ Bucky sings the rest of the song, his voice quivering as he got to the final notes. Steve was stock still, seeming unable to move. “ _But I cant help, falling in love with you”_ he ended, his voice fading out.

 

Bucky set the guitar down next to him, and took Steve’s hand in his, squeezing it gently.

 

“D’you remember the first time we heard that song, Stevie?” Bucky asked, his voice trembling. Steve nodded mutely, and after a few seconds, finally found his voice. The tears have tracked down his cheeks by now.

 

“It played the very first time we kissed, Buck. November 21st, 1933” Steve soundedsounded like he was close to sobbing. Bucky couldn’t blame him; he was barely holding it together.

No one else has spoken, which helped a little bit.

 

Bucky pulled out the ring box, and opened the lid. Nestled in some silk, was a single, steel-colored ring.

 

T’Challa had been kind enough to send a piece of vibranium, and with the help of Tony, he and Bucky turned it into a ring. Engraved on the inside was _I’m With You._ Bucky hoped that, if Steve said yes, they could get _Until The End Of The Line_ engraved on Bucky’s wedding band.

 

Steve’s eyes seemed to widen even further as he stared at the ring, and then at Bucky.

 

Well, he better get on with it.

 

“You know I’m not the sappy type, dollface. But I do know that I’ve loved you since I was 14 years old, and that feeling never went away, no matter what happened between that time and now. You have always had my heart, and you’re the only person I trust with it. Waking up next to you, knowing that I got another chance to have you in my life, has kept me sane and grounded more than you could ever know. I love you, Steve Rogers. Will you do me the great honor, and take me as your husband?” Bucky asked, hope and fear thrumming through him.

Steve made a great, sobbing noise and nodded, managing to get out a “Yes”.

 

Bucky felt the air leave his body as he slipped the ring on Steve’s left ring finger, his hand trembling. Once it was safely on, Bucky kissed the back of the hand.

 

Only then, did Steve tackle him to the floor, and they were busy kissing. They completely missed the applauding and whooping, and the firelight bugs exploding into bright and cheery fireworks.

 

Once the kissing ceased, with only the occasional peck on the lips, the two of them got up, and Steve pulled Bucky into a rib crushing hug.

“I love you so much” Steve whispered into Bucky’s ear, holding him closely.

“I love you too, baby” Bucky responded, the feeling of elation and relief still exploding through his body.

 

They eventually separated, and were bombarded by congratulations and hugs.

Sam and Nat were both wearing smug expressions, and Tony was acting as if he was the brilliant mastermind behind it all, while Thor was loudly musing where he could find a ‘bare backed huxxom’ for the wedding ceremony.

 

God, Bucky loved these people.

 

After everyone congratulated them, Pepper organized some champagne, and after a few rounds of toasts, everyone gave a loud “Cheers” and drank.

 

Steve still seemed shocked, and glanced down at his engagement ring every few seconds.

It was hard to still surprise him, and Bucky was very happy that he could.

 

The rest of the dinner was spent finally eating dessert, and Tony throwing around the most outlandish wedding venues, and ideas for the ceremony.

Bucky was so overjoyed, that he couldn’t even muster up any annoyance towards the billionaire. He’d make sure to properly thank Tony.

Sam and Nat too, since it was Nat’s idea to make a vibranium engagement ring, and Sam suggested that he should incorporate a good memory he had with Steve into his proposal.

Bucky didn’t know what he did to deserve such good people in his life.

 

Steve and Bucky only arrived back at their apartment after 3am the following morning, giggling and clinging to each other. Bucky slowly undressed the both of them, and made love to Steve for hours. Afterwards, as they laid in bed, sated and still glowing with happiness, Bucky lifted Steve’s left hand, placing a kiss on the ring.

 

“I love you, punk” Bucky rumpled against Steve lips as kissed.

“Love you too, jerk”

 

Epilogue

 

“So, is it gonna be Mr. and Mr. Rogers?”

Sigh.

“We’re hyphenating, Steve”

**Author's Note:**

> I LOVE THIS SONG A LOT, OK
> 
> (btw, there is no such thing as a 'bare backed huxxom. But if I ever discover a brand new species, I'll name it that)
> 
> All kudos and comments are appreciated.
> 
> Y'all can catch me on my social medias- please come say hi, or scream at me over Sebastian Stan, or Stackie.
> 
> Tumblr: SourwolfZim  
> Twitter: Malikah_Meyer
> 
> Love y'all!!! xx


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